SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 0216 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU IZ ADANA SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY, AUGUST 14, 2003 ¶1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for August 14, 2003. Please note that Turkish press reports often contain errors or exaggerations; AmConsulate Adana does not vouch for the accuracy of the reports summarized here. POLITICAL, SECURITY, HUMAN RIGHTS ¶2. Bolge / Lerzan Kara, spokeswoman of the Peace Platform, announced in a meeting held in Adana that they don't want to see Turkish soldiers in Iraq. ¶3. Bolge / Security Officials in Adana announced that people should be alert when they see suspicious packages in the town. Officials distributed specially published warnings in the town. ¶4. Cumhuriyet / Emine Kiyancicek, a grandmother who spent 5 years in prison for helping PKK complained about the government for separating her from her grandchildren for five years. "I still don't know why I was kept in prison," she stated. Kiyancicek benefited from the new amnesty law. ¶5. Evrensel / DEHAP, EMEP, Free Party, and Diyarbakir Democracy Platform aim to schedule a meeting in Diyarbakir on September 1, World Peace Day. ¶6. Turkiye / Diyarbakir Security Authorities tightened their security measures due to possible August 15 attacks which is known as the anniversary of the first attack of PKK. All police forces are on alert until August 16. ECONOMIC ¶7. Hurriyet, Bolge, Express, Turkiye / Kemal Onal, Governor of Adana, visited Ceyhan and Yumurtalik. Onal had a meeting with Gurhan Unal, the Area Manager of Petroleum Pipeline Corporation (BOTAS). Gurhan Unal stated that Adana would have natural gas service in year 2005. ¶8. Hurriyet, Bolge / Umit Ozgumus, Head of the Chamber of Industry in Adana, stated that the Chamber won't support the Adana Industrial Fair which will be held in October. Ozgumus claimed that Mayor of Adana and the Head of Chamber of Commerce in Adana left Chamber of Industry aside in their secret meetings for the industrial fair. "We heard about the fair in the newspapers", announced Ozgumus. "If they included us, we would have told them the difficulties of having a fair in tents and why it shouldn't be planned for year 2003", Ozgumus stated. ¶9. Tercuman, Milli Gazete, Turkiye / Huseyin Avni Cos, Governor of Bingol, announced that there are 27 anthrax cases in Bingol and they are in control of the problem. 10 . Milli Gazete, / Mehmet Altun, Head of Sanliurfa Corner Shops Association, announced that before the opening of Akcakale Border Gate on October 29, Sanliurfa-Akcakale road should be restored. ¶11. Cumhuriyet, Turkiye / After the establishment of the temporary Government in Iraq there is a significant increase in the crossing of the vehicles through Habur Border Gate. About 3000 vehicles a day cross the border everyday. CULTURE and TOURISM ¶12. Turkiye, / Folk Dance Group consisting of the 42 Istiklal Makzume Anatolia High School students in Iskenderun were awarded Olympic Championship in the festival held in Vewelsburg/Germany, despite dancing in borrowed costumes due to financial shortages they had. HART